Welcome to a blog about crafting, adventure, and loving the life I have. I hope you'll stay!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Week 16: Kindle Case

Week 16 was a week of family visits and traveling! We met Alan's parents, sister, and brother-in-law in Istanbul, and then headed over to see Kapadokya as well. Woohoo!

So this craft comes not from my couch, but from two planes, four bus rides, and two hotels. Also, it comes from being scrunched in a carry on bag, so I apologize for the wrinkles. Also, it's challenging to hold a craft and a camera on my lap while on an airplane, so sorry about the lack of mid-craft pictures.

I also brought this little buddy along with me on the trip... and it was shouting at me about how badly it needed a case.

I drop it plenty even when I'm not traveling, but now that I'm on the move, it's in serious danger.

So Kindle, my trusty friend... a case for you it is!

I chose some of my favorite unused yarn, and planned out a cover that might end up looking like a retro hard-cover-book. (The kind where the spine is a different colour than the rest of the cover).

Insert wrinkly picture.

I started at the bottom of this picture. I chained a length of yarn that (without stretching) reached from the top to the bottom of my Kindle. Then I added about 5 extra chains. (26 total.)

Turn and single stitch across. Do 16 rows like this.

I attached the teal, and continued on in the same way, for 15 more rows.

I reattached the beige, and added 16 more rows.

At this point I had a tall rectangle. I tested it out by folding it around the Kindle to make sure that I had a little overlap on all sides.

When I was sure it was right, I added on the flap. I did this with 5 decreasing rows (Ss2tog at the beginning and at the end of each row).

Sorry about the bad picture, but if you look really closely (maybe magic-eye it), you can see the edges slanting in.

Button holes. Terrible explanation below...

Then I needed a button hole row. Luckily crochet button holes are WAY easier than sewing machine button holes. Decide where you want the button holes, and how big you want them (mine are really big), then chain rather than single stitching in the place of the hole. I started with 3 single stitches, then chained 3, and skipped 3 from the row below, and single stitched back into the 7th stitch of the row below. I did 2 more single stitches, chained 3 again, skipped 3, and single stitched to the end of the row (3 more stitches).Wow. That sounds so confusing. But I promise button holes are super easy. Maybe this diagram will help:

XXX - - - XXX - - - XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX=single stitch- = chain

After the button hole row, I added three more decreasing rows, and fastened off.

To attach the sides, I lined the edges up carefully and then whip stitched them together with matching yarn and a yarn needle. Truthfully, I didn't love how this looked, so I tried again using a crochet hook, and single stitching the sides together. I think it made a cleaner edge.

Whip stitched together:

Single stitched together:

Once the sides were attached, I Slip Stitched around the opening to clean up the rough edges.

Also I crocheted a little "T" for Tana, because my mom's Kindle needs a snuggly case too.

For the "T," I Chained 7, turned, and single crocheted across for 2 rows. On the 3rd row, I Slip stitched the first 2 stitches, and single chained the next two, then turned. I added 4 rows of single chaining only in those middle 2 stitches. Then I slip stitched all the way around to clean up the edges.

This is also confusing, and that diagram was fun, so let's try that again. It's upside down, because that's how you'll crochet it.

* *

*XX*

*XX*

*XX*

*XX*

*XXXX*

*XXXX*

- - - - -

* * * *

X= single stitch

- = original chain

*= slip stitch around, added last

I attached the "T" to the front using a yarn needle.

Also I sewed on some fab buttons.

Lastly, I chained a really long (3 foot?) chain, and then sewed it on as a cursive reminder.